With so many things to love about Mississippi, it can be easy to overlook the state’s (few) downfalls. However, there’s one that’s pretty hard to ignore. According to the National Safety Council, Mississippi is the deadliest place in the country to drive a car. What’s more, Mississippi has been leading the nation in traffic fatalities for nearly 20 years! Read on for the staggering statistics that confirm the dangers Mississippi drivers face.

At 22.9 deaths per 100,000 residents, Mississippi has the highest traffic fatality rate in the nation! In 2017 alone, 685 people died in car crashes in Mississippi.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Sadly, the high rating is nothing new. The Magnolia State has led the nation in traffic-related deaths all but three years between 1999 and 2016.
Heinrock/Flickr
For nearly two decades, the state’s fatality rate remained at 28.1 - which was a full 20% higher than Wyoming, the 2nd deadliest state for drivers.
Sea Turtle/Flickr
Mississippi accounts for 2% of the $44 billion that traffic-related deaths cost the U.S. each year. A number that’s even more shocking when you take into account that Mississippi is home to less than 1% of the nation’s population.
Sean Davis/Flickr
So, what makes Mississippi such a dangerous place to drive? There are several contributing factors, but rural roads, which are four times as deadly as city streets, are one of the biggest.
Mississippi Mike/Flickr

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And that’s a big problem since more than 50% of the state’s residents reside in rural areas.
LRD615/Flickr
Not only are rural roadways poorly lit, but drivers on “back roads” tend to drive bit faster, making crashes more severe.
William Patrick Butler/Flickr
The remote locale also hinders the response time of emergency personnel and, usually, means that a hospital is a good distance away.
Penn State/Flickr
With all this in mind, it’s not surprising that 98% of fatal accidents in Mississippi occur on rural roads.
formulanone/Flickr
Dangerous even for experienced drivers, rural roads can be especially dangerous for new teenage drivers. Back in 2015, 769 people died in car accidents in Mississippi – of those 769, nearly 100 were between the ages of 15 and 19.
State Farm/Flickr

 

Were you aware of these statistics? Or, are you surprised by them? Tell us in the comments section.

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